Hanamizuki (ハナミズキ),
lyrics/performed by: Hitoto Yoh (一青 窈),
translation from Hanamizuki (2010) DVD subtitles, My notes: Saw this film recently and the story hit close to home. The film, directed by Nobuhiro Doi (土井裕泰), was a bit commercial for my taste, but was enjoyable to watch from beginning to end. The film took it’s inspiration from the song, the lyrics of which I found very moving. I couldn’t find the DVD translated lyrics anywhere online so I transcribed it here. There’s also a story behind the song (see bottom). -J

Reaching up to touch the sky

Opening to blue in the month of May

Come to me

Won’t you meet me please?

By the riverside I’ll bring a gift for you from my garden

The first bud of spring

From the dogwood tree.

I see your beauty blush

Your pale petals touch my heart

May your dreams of falling

End in flight

For 100 years wrapped in light

That you and your love live on

The Midsummer sun is too hot

And these burdens are too heavy to bear

I know together we can’t go on

Our little boat can’t carry us there

Now we must part

The water is wide

Sail on before me to the other side

But I will carry on hoping

That someday, some way

The waves that threaten

Will fade away

That you and your love live on

For 100 years wrapped in light

Chasing a butterfly

Raising a white sail

And on mother’s day

Send a sign from our dogwood tree

You don’t have to wait

You don’t even have to know

I see your beauty blush

Your pale petals touch my heart

May your dreams of falling

End in flight That you and your love live on

For 100 years wrapped in light

But I will carry on hoping

That someday, some way

The waves that threaten

Will fade away

That you and your love live on

For 100 years wrapped in light

That you and your love live on

For 100 years wrapped in light.

Notes (from Brian Stewart & Takako Sakuma): This song was written about the 9/11 terrorist incident. Hitoto recalled that in 1912 America and Japan exchanged trees. America gave Japan a Dogwood and Japan gave America a Sakura. Apparently the song is about how though this tragedy happened across the sea, the pain of losing someone is something any one can relate to. By loving someone, we spread the love across the world and hopefully towards peace. Her words not mine. The original lyrics for this song were several pages long but Hitoto editted it down to what you see now. Most of the 9/11 references were removed with the editing.